No let-up in outlaws' bomb attacks despite drives in Jhenidah

14 among municipality chairman, ASI killed, 59 hurt in 4 years

There is no sign of let up in bomb attacks by the cadres of outlawed parties in Jhenidah district despite several anti-crime drives and death of at least 53 outlawed cadres in 'crossfire'.

At least 16 incidents of bomb attacks took place in Jhenidah district between November 18, 2007 and February 10, 2008 in which two BNP leaders were killed and 15 other people were critically injured, according to police, intelligence agencies and newspaper reports.

The two BNP leaders killed in bomb attacks during the period are Shailakupa upazila BNP's organising secretary Idris Ali and Kumarbaria union unit Krishak Dal (peasant front of BNP) president Anwar Hossain Anu.

Besides, between June and October of 2007, Jhenidah Sadar upazila BNP's general secretary Abu Bakar Siddik and a leader of the same unit Awami League (AL) Subodh Kumar Kundu were also bombed to death.

At least 31 incidents of bomb attacks took place in the district from February 2004 to December 2006 in which 10 people including Harinakundu municipality chairman Azizur Rahman Mondol and assistant sub-inspector Zahidul Islam of Harinakundu Police Station were killed and 36 other people injured.

Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-Janajuddho) claimed responsibility for at least 22 attacks while the rest attacks were launched by other outlawed outfits and criminal gangs, intelligence sources said.

In the latest bomb attack on a motor spares shop at Chuadanga bus stand in Jhenidah district town on Sunday evening (February 10), four people including the organising secretary of district bus and minibus owners association Abdur Razzak were critically injured.

On January 25 of this year, BNP activist Anwar Hossain Dablu was seriously injured as miscreants hurled bombed on him at Adorshopara in Jhenidah town.

Earlier, on January 21, Shailakupa upazila BNP organising secretary Idis Ali was bombed to death when he was coming out of his house on a motorbike.

On the night of December 27 in 2007, a bomb attack at Kachua Bazaar in Shailakupa upazila of the district critically injured Abu Taleb and Zahid of Kacherkhole village.

In the previous evening, four people were seriously injured when criminals hurled bombs on them at Kuthi Durgapur village in Jhenidah Sadar upazila.

Abdul Baki, secretary of district Bus and Minibus Owners Association, was critically injured on December 18 night as miscreants hurled four bombs at a bus stand in Jhenidah town.

On December 12, physician Yunus Ali was seriously injured when miscreants threw a bomb at him at Ghoshnagar Bazaar in Sadar upazila.

After the death of BNP leader Abdul Halim of Dhopabila village in Jhenidah Sadar upazila in a bombe attack on December 9, Janajuddho leader Rajib Ahmed claimed responsibility for the killing.

On December 10, former leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League Alamgir Hossain and his friend Rabiul Islam were seriously injured as criminals hurled bombs at them in front of the local Fire Brigade office.

On November 18 of last year, Kumarbaria union Kishak Dal president Anwar Hossain Anu was bombed to death while Jhenidah Sadar upazila AL leader Subodh Kundu was killed in separate bomb attack on October 4.

Earlier in the year, two BNP leaders were killed and 15 people injured in separate incidents as outlaws resumed their bomb attacks in June 2007 after a break of six months following the declaration of emergency.

In 2006, three local leaders of BNP were killed and eight others injured in bomb attacks.

In 2005, Harinakundu municipality chairman Azizur Rahman Mondol was killed and 13 people were injured in separate bomb attacks in the district.

In 2004, six people were killed and eight others injured in bomb attacks at different places of the district. The victims included ASI Zahidul Islam of Harinakundu Police Station and member of Madhuhati Union Parishad in Jhenidah Sadar upazila and local BNP leader Shafiuddin Ahmed.

According to police and sources in intelligence agencies, about 1,000 armed cadres under 11 outlawed outfits are still active in the six upazilas of the district.

The strongest among the 11 outlawed outfits are Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-Janojuddho), PBCP-ML, New Biplobi Communist Party and Gono Mukti Fouz, intelligence sources said.

More than 25 special drives including 'Operation Clean Heart' and 'Operation Spider Web' were launched to track down the outlaws in the south-western districts including Jhenidah but they failed to bring about desired results allegedly due to leakage of information ahead of drives.

Besides, there are allegations of sheltering the outlawed outfits by two major political parties, said a high police official preferring anonymity.